Hey, I was thinking, anyone ever think they will create aircraft that lift up via magnetic forces? You know, the Earth has a magnetic field, so you
just have the aircraft generate whatever field the Earth is generating (positive for positive or negative for negative) and then the aircraft should
float.
I read that they tried this some years ago, but the aircraft was far too unstable and crashed. Or it just wouldn't fly right. Something like that.
I'd imagine too that you would need an electrical generator to generate the electricity for a big aircraft, to keep it afloat, since batteries
wouldn't last that long; to power the generator, I suppose one could put in a conventional combustion type of engine and have the pistons turn a
crankshaft that drives the generator. So you'd need fuel tanks too.
I think the program was scrapped also because the Earth's magnetic field changes in so many areas, meaning that what allows you to float in one area
could pull you right to the Earth in another, which is obviously a bad thing.
But modern jetliners and modern fighter planes fly with computer systems that constantly make slight changes to the flaps and so forth of the aircraft
to keep it stable; without this, aircraft like an F-16 or a jumbo jet would crash.
So, theoretically, with enough research, could an aircraft be made that had magnetic field generators that made constant changes to the field wherever
needed?
Take the Harrier jump jet. To hover, it has four outlets on the bottom, which are for the exhaust from the single engine it has inside. So, imagine an
aircraft that instead of the four exhaust outlets, has four large magnetic generators on the bottom. These magnets are powered by the electric
generator which is spinning inside, which is thus powered by the engine inside, which is running off of fuel. The engine could also maybe be a turbine
like in the Abrams tank, which would mean fewer parts.
Now obviously, the problem is what if on one side of the aircraft the Earth has a positive field, yet on the other side, it has a negative field.
Obviously the magnets on each side need to custom match the field, or they will pull the aircraft down. I imagine each magnet could maybe be like a
television screen, where each magnet is really made up of a huge amount of smaller magnets (as a television screen is made up of pixels), so that the
magnetic field from each "magnet" could vary.
As the aircraft flies along, the computer can make constant adjustments to the magnetic fields of these four hover magnets, to match the Earth's
field, so the aircraft stays afloat.
If the aircraft is a form of hover jet, then obviously it needs jet engines, which means the jet engines themselves could maybe power the generator.
The aircraft, when in "hover mode" wouldn't move at "jet speed" to the point that the computer wouldn't be able to make changes to the magnets
in time to match the Earth's field because at those speeds, the magnets wouldn't be required.
The magnets would only be required for hovering and moving along at more of a helicopter's speed or slower.
I was thinking, if such an aircraft were possible, perhaps a jet fighter or bomber (whichever) could serve as a UCAV/UAV when needed. It could hover
behind a mountain or something, silently (with the exception of the jet engines, which could be turning slower to make less noise I am imagining), and
provide UCAV capabilities done by the pilot.
This way, the pilot could gather information then be given the okay to bomb the target or not, and it also could eliminate a lot of the communications
problems I imagine exist with UAVS/UCAVs. Also the threat of what happens if the enemy takes control of the UCAV, etc...
I don't know if this is a legit idea that would just cost too much to make or if it has been thought up, but decided not on, or what. I would imagine
one could make a large UCAV like this as well, but I think UCAVs "float" or hover just fine with "fan rotors" that allow them to hover up high, so
in that case, the electrical generator idea would probably be too complex.
Also the F-35 aircraft hovers fine with a fan rotor as well I think, so I don't know. If the F-35 burns up fuel really fast while hovering, the way
the Harrier does (in cool whether, Harries I think can hover for around 10 minutes or more, but in hot weather, only 90 seconds), then maybe a
magnetic floating aircraft would work because it could perhaps hover for a lot longer (like a couple of hours if necessary).
Was wondering what people thought? Struck me as a neat idea. Even if it had no practical use, it would be fun to build one. Could you imagine an F-14
or something like that that floated silently, with the exception of the engines?
I imagine also if such an aircraft were to be piloted, you'd need someone to test fly it obviously.
You could also place such an aircraft deep or closer to enemy territory I'd think. Imagine if about five F/A-22s flew into enemy territory with lots
of jungle. Only imagine that the F/A-22 can have this capability and still be the F/A-22 it is. The pilots fly a path so that the plane's stealth
features are fully utilized and they aren't detected. They then stop over the jungle, lower down inside, and land inside. Then the next day or
whatnot, they rise out of the jungle and fly on to do havoc wherever.
If launched from an aircraft carrier, such aircraft could maybe fly inland but then stay inland for awhile (some days longer) than regular jet
aircraft could, which must fly to either a base or back to the carrier. This way, for a dangerous country that could threaten the carrier, the carrier
could get close, launch the planes, then get out of there, then come back some days later, right as the planes are flying back to the carrier.
Of course, that would require some gutsy pilots. Most fighter pilots from what I've heard like air conditioning, not being told they must live in the
jungle for a few days
And I am basically talking out of my rear with all this stuff, as I am no aircraft or UCAV expert, but alas, that is what the board is for, so other
people can share their opinions and tell me why this whole contraption would be a blatant waste of money or how it could work or what (but even if it
is a waste, I still wish I could build one!).